DJ Lagway threw for a touchdown and set up another with a long completion in his return from a strained left hamstring, and host Florida upset No. 21 LSU 27-16 on Saturday to give the Gators their first series victory since 2018.

Jadan Baugh’s 55-yard scoring scamper with 3:48 remaining essentially sealed it and put the Gators (5-5, 3-4 Southeastern Conference) on the verge of becoming bowl eligible.

Florida had dropped eight in a row against ranked opponents and was 1-10 under coach Billy Napier in rivalry games.

Florida’s defense deserved to be celebrated. The unit sacked Garrett Nussmeier seven times — one more than LSU (6-4, 3-3) allowed in its first nine games combined.

NO. 3 TEXAS 20, ARKANSAS 10: Quinn Ewers threw for 176 yards and two touchdowns and the visiting Longhorns defense clamped down on the Razorbacks (5-5, 3-4 SEC) final two possessions to help secure the win.

Ewers’ 1-yard pass to Matthew Golden ended an eight-play, 75-yard drive that provided the Longhorns (9-1, 5-1 SEC, No. 3 CFP) with a two-score lead with 9:05 left. Ewers also connected with Golden for the game’s first touchdown.

NO. 8 NOTRE DAME 35, VIRGINIA 14: Riley Leonard passed for three touchdowns and the host Fighting Irish’s defense forced five turnovers as Notre Dame beat the Cavaliers (5-5).

Leonard was 22 for 33 for 214 yards as the Fighting Irish (9-1) raced to a 35-0 lead and won their eighth straight game.

NO. 9 ALABAMA 52, MERCER 7: Jalen Milroe passed for two touchdowns and ran for a third in just over two quarters to help the host Crimson Tide beat the Bears, an FCS team.

Ryan Williams ran for a 29-yard touchdown and caught a 14-yard score for the Crimson Tide (8-2, No. 9 CFP), who got a reprieve from Southeastern Conference games after re-entering the Top 10 following a dominating win over LSU last week.

The Bears (9-2) will be in the FCS playoffs.

NO. 13 BOISE STATE 42, SAN JOSE STATE 21: Ashton Jeanty ran for 159 yards and three touchdowns to set a school record for yards rushing in a season and the visiting Broncos beat the Spartans for their eighth straight win.

Boise State (9-1, 6-0 Mountain West Conference), whose only loss this season was to top-ranked Oregon, remains on track for a spot in the College Football Playoff if it wins the conference title.

Boise State took advantage of four turnovers by San Jose State (6-4, 3-3).

NO. 14 SMU 38, BOSTON COLLEGE 28: Kevin Jennings threw for 298 yards and three touchdowns and the host Mustangs moved closer to making the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game in their league debut with a win over the Eagles.

Boston College is 5-5, 2-4 in conference.

NO. 15 TEXAS A&M 38, NEW MEXICO STATE 3: Marcel Reed threw two touchdown passes and ran for a third score in less than three quarters to help the host Aggies cruise to victory in nonconference action.

It was a bounce-back performance for Texas A&M (8-2), handed its first Southeastern Conference loss after being shut out in the second half of a 44-20 defeat at South Carolina two weeks ago before an open date last Saturday.

Seth McGowan ran for 75 yards for New Mexico State (2-8).

NO. 17 CLEMSON 24, PITTSBURGH 20: Cade Klubnick sprinted 50 yards for a go-ahead touchdown with 1:16 remaining and the visiting Tigers fended off the Panthers (7-3, 3-3 ACC).

Clemson (8-2, 7-1 ACC) had done little on the ground all day before the junior quarterback tucked the ball and raced past a handful of stunned defenders to keep Clemson’s outside hopes of reaching the ACC championship game alive.

Klubnick finished with 288 yards and two touchdown passes through the air and added 41 yards on the ground, almost all the positive yardage coming on his zig-zag through the Pitt secondary just 20 seconds after the Panthers had taken the lead on a 47-yard field goal by Ben Sauls.

NO. 18 COLORADO 49, UTAH 24: Shedeur Sanders overcame a shaky start to throw three touchdown passes, LaJohntay Wester returned a punt 76 yards for a score and the host Buffaloes pulled away late to beat the Utes.

The Buffaloes (8-2, 6-1 Big 12, No. 17 CFP ) remain in the driver’s seat for an appearance in the conference title game and possibly a spot in the College Football Playoff.

ARIZONA STATE 24, NO. 20 KANSAS STATE 14: Sam Leavitt threw for 275 yards and three touchdowns, Jordyn Tyson had 12 catches for 176 yards and two of the scores and the visiting Sun Devils upset the Wildcats.

Cam Skattebo returned from an injury to run for 73 yards, and Arizona State (8-2, 5-2 Big 12) built a 21-0 halftime lead, before Kenny Dillingham’s team held on for a third straight win to remain in contention for the Big 12 championship game.

Avery Johnson threw for 258 yards with two interceptions and a touchdown run for the Wildcats (7-3, 4-3, No. 16 CFP), who had been 4-0 at home this season and 15-3 over the past three.

STANFORD 38, NO. 22 LOUISVILLE 35: Emmet Kenney made a career-long 52-yard field goal as time expired to give the host Cardinal an upset victory over the Cardinals (6-4, 4-3 ACC).

Down 35-21 in the fourth quarter, Stanford (3-7, 2-5 ACC) tied it on Emmett Mosley V’s two touchdown passes, the second a 25-yarder from backup quarterback Justin Lamson with 45 seconds left.

After forcing a turnover on downs, Stanford got the ball at its own 45, then benefited from two penalties. Louisville (6-4, 4-3) was called for unsportsmanlike conduct after a short swing pass, putting Stanford in position for the field goal.

NO. 23 SOUTH CAROLINA 34, NO. 24 MISSOURI 30: LaNorris Sellers threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Raheim Sanders with 15 seconds left and the host Gamecocks beat the Tigers (7-3, 3-3, SEC) for their third straight victory over a ranked opponent.

Sellers had career highs of five TD passes and 353 yards, completing 21 of 30 attempts.

The Gamecocks (7-3, 5-3) have won four straight SEC games for the first time since Steve Spurrier was coach in 2012.

NO. 25 TULANE 35, NAVY 0: Makhi Hughes ran for 82 yards and two touchdowns, as the visiting Green Wave locked up their spot in the American Athletic Conference championship game by romping to a victory over the host Midshipmen (7-3, 5-2).

Darian Mensah threw for two TDs and ran for another as Tulane (9-2, 7-0) guaranteed a championship meeting on Dec. 6 against No. 16 Army, which was idle Saturday.